After Effects CC 2023: Highlighter Animation (Stroke Effect)
Solids Folder Basics
Description:
This tutorial will show you how to create a Text Highlighter Animation Effect in Adobe After Effects CC 2023. This is a fun and popular effect often used to highlight text in a book or magazine, etc.
Keyboard Shortcuts:
Y: Create A New Solid Layer
G: Select Pen Tool
U: Reveal Keyframes
M: Show Masks
Cmd/Ctrl + D: Duplicate Masks or Layers
Hex Codes (Highlighters):
Yellow: FBF719
Blue: 30C5FF
Green: 5DE23C
Pink: FA3BF0
Orange: FF793B
Red: F72F35
Chapters:
00:00 Intro: About the Tutorial
00:11 Composition Size (1080 x 1920px)
00:28 Create A New Solid Layer (Cmd/Ctrl + Y)
01:00 Add Stroke Effect
01:17 Effect Controls: Change Paint Style
01:31 Effect Controls: Color Property
01:45 Pen Tool (G)
02:15 Effect Controls: All Masks
02:33 Brush Size & Blend Modes
02:56 How To Animate Highlighter Effect
03:26 Modify & Duplicate Masks
04:01 Stroke Sequentially (Animate Lines In Order)
04:20 Finishing Touches
Software Used:
Adobe After Effects CC 2023 (Click To Try or Buy)
How To Create Highlighter Effect:
- Create New Composition (Cmd/Ctrl + N)
- Add Background Layer/Footage
- Add Solid Layer (Cmd/Ctrl + Y)
- Add Stroke Effect (Windows…Effects & Presets)
- Change ‘Paint Style’ to ‘On Transparent’
- Click Color Swatch and change to Highlighter Yellow (#FBF719)
- Select Solid Layer
- Go to top toolbar and click on the Pen Tool (G)
- Click to add a point where you want the animation to start
- Hold Shift + Click to draw a straight line or click multiple times to create Mask over text
- Press V for Selection Tool
- Double Click on Mask to modify or change position
- Go to Effect Controls and tick the box ‘All Masks’ for the Path Property
- Change the Brush Size (15)
- Go to Layers Panel
- Look for ‘Mode’ Column and if not visible click on ‘Toggle Switches/Modes’ at the bottom
- Change Blend Mode from Normal to Multiply
- Change Brush Hardness, Opacity, Spacing to taste
How To Animate Highlighter Effect:
- Drag Play-head to the beginning of the Timeline
- Click on the Stopwatch for ‘End’ and change to 0%
- Move Play-head forward in time 2 seconds
- Change the End Property to 100%
- Drag playhead to the beginning
- Tap Spacebar to preview.
How To Add Additional Masks (to highlight more lines or words)
- Twirl open Solids Layer or Tap ‘M’ to reveal Masks
- Twirl open Masks
- Select Mask
- Tap Cmd/Ctrl + D to duplicate Mask
- Select Mask in Comp Window and manually re-position or tap Arrow keys to move
- Double-click on mask to Transform or make adjustments to size
- Check the box ‘Stroke Sequentially’ to animate in order of Masks
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